3 Takeaways from Browns' Week 8 Loss vs. Seahawks
The Cleveland Browns were only a few plays away from picking up a Week 8 win over the Seattle Seahawks.
However, an untimely turnover from P.J. Walker right before the two-minute warning flipped the game.
Seattle picked off Walker and proceeded to score the game-winning touchdown five plays later.
It was an unfortunate finish to a game in which the Browns battled despite a handful of Walker turnovers.
The Cleveland defense kept up its high standard of play and the rushing attack provided a solid complement to Walker.
Kevin Stefanski's team will return home with a 4-3 mark, one that should be improved next Sunday against another NFC West side in the Arizona Cardinals.
P.J. Walker's Turnovers Let Victory Slip Away
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Walker threw two interceptions and lost a fumble on Sunday.
The backup quarterback's mistakes led to two of Seattle's three touchdowns, including the game-winner from Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
The location of the turnovers was as maddening as the way in which they unfolded.
Walker's first-quarter fumble took place at midfield, and that allowed Seattle to use a six-play, 41-yard drive to score its first touchdown.
Walker's first interception ended a long Cleveland drive that was 20 yards away from the end zone.
The Browns could have at least gotten three points out of the series that started at their own 25-yard-line. Instead, Walker was picked off by Riq Woolen on third down to end the scoring threat.
Walker's fourth-quarter interception was the most frustrating of the three turnovers because it set Seattle up at its own 43.
Walker would have better off throwing the ball away and forcing a punt that pinned the Seahawks deep instead of forcing a pass into Amari Cooper.
The first two errors were excusable because they occurred in the first half and the Cleveland defense battled back from them, but the last one was unacceptable and cost the Browns a road victory.
Rushing Offense Continues to Thrive Without Nick Chubb
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Sunday marked the third straight week in which the Browns ran for at least 150 yards.
Kareem Hunt, Pierre Strong Jr. and Jerome Ford split the workload. Hunt ended as the leading rusher with 55 yards on 14 carries and a touchdown.
Cleveland's rushing success is astonishing because it has not missed a beat without Nick Chubb on the field.
Hunt, Ford and Strong have all made solid contributions to the ground attack, and that will be needed going forward.
Cleveland may have to rely even more on its ground attack if Walker continues to struggle with turnovers. The Browns have yet to play a game without committing a turnover.
It would not come as a surprise if the Browns eclipse their season-best mark on the ground of 206 yards against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 9 in what should be one of the more lopsided games of the weekend.
Defense Came Up with Timely Turnovers
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The play of Cleveland's defense may be understandably forgotten because of how the game ended.
The Browns picked off Geno Smith twice in timely situations. The first turnover came at the end of the first half with the ball 30 yards from the end zone.
Martin Emerson's interception kept the halftime deficit at three points and allowed the Browns to start the second half on a strong note.
The offense produced a scoring drive that resulted in a field goal, and then Maurice Hurst intercepted Geno Smith to set up another field goal.
The pair of third-quarter field goals appeared to be enough for the Browns to win the game because Seattle could not convert drives into points until after Walker's last interception.
Although the loss was hard to take, the Browns can at least come away with some solace that they have a foundation to win games in place, and if giveaways do not happen, they could be one of the more efficient teams in the AFC.
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